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iJlyfac ^ * (ZJoJt-foiChJ? IljL^J^ UhiA^'X^4^^^ . 

VERNACULAR EDUCATION 

IN 

BENGAL 


(Being a speech delivered at the Thirteenth Session of the 
Mahommedan Educational Conference) 


BY 


SYED NAWAB ALI CHOWDHRY, 

Zemindar , Dhanbari, Mymensingli , 

President of the Mahommedan Society for Vernacular Literature y 
a Secretary to Sir Syed Ahmad Memorial Fund Committee. 






CALCUTTA: 

PRINTED BY W. NEWMAN & CO., CAXTON PRESS, 
1, Mission Row. 


1900. 













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TO 

THE HON’BLE 

SIR JOHN WOODBURN, M.A., I.C.S., K.C S.I., &c., 

Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal. 

THESE PAGES 

are dedicated, by permission, in 

GRATEFUL RECOGNITION OF 

HIS HONOR’S DEEP INTEREST IN THE CAUSE OF PRIMARY 
EDUCATION, BENEVOLENT SOLICITUDE TO INCREASE 
THE HAPPINESS OF THE PEOPLE 
AND 

THE PROSPERITY OF THE PROVINCE, OVER WHICH AN ALL-BENEFICENT 
PROVIDENCE HAS CALLED HIM TO RULE, AS ALSO 
IN TOKEN OF THE ESTEEM 
AND 

ADMIRATION IN WHICH HIS HONOR IS HELD 

BY 


THE AUTHOR 
































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PREFACE. 


In moving a resolution, for which the reader 
is referred to the appendix [A], at the last 
Mahommedan Educational Conference which 
sat in December last, in Calcutta, under the 
presidency of the Hon'ble Mr. Justice Syed 
Ameer Ali, m. a., ll. b., c. i. e., and when 
His Honor Sir John Woodburn, the distin¬ 
guished statesman, who now rules over the 
destinies of the teeming millions of the foremost 
Province in India—Bengal—was present as a 
guest, I had to read an Urdu paper. A kind 
and courteous hint conveyed to me the sug¬ 
gestion that, having regard to the importance 
of the question dealt with, His Honor the 
Lieutenant-Governor would like to see it, if 
it was possible, in English. The following 
pages, which embody the substance of the 
lecture with such slight alterations as the pub¬ 
lication of it in pamphlet form would warrant, 
I now venture to offer to the public. Some 
quotations and extracts from standard 


11 


Bengali authors, with their translations, have 
been published in the form of an appendix [B]. 
These not only have direct bearings on the 
controversy under discussion, but elucidate 
the allusions in the context. The writer, 
therefore, craves the attention of the reader 
to them as pertinent to an adequate grasp 
of the question touched. 

The subject is one which not only occupied 
my personal interest and attention for some 
time past, but which, T believe, for the vital 
interests concerned, is disturbing the mind of 
the Mahommedan Community from several 
years. This, I trust, may account for my 
appearance before the public. 


SYED NAWAB ALI CHOWDHRY. 


Kapalitola Lane, 


1 


Calcutta, > 

The $th March , igoo. ; 


Vernacular Education in Bengal: 

ITS DEEEC1S AND CURES. 

-3SS- 

To those of the Bengal delegates who have 
studied, if not critically at least carefully, the 
various aspects of the system of Vernacular 
and Primary education in vogue in Bengal 
proper, and who are painfully aware of their 
effects on the social, political and religious 
condition of the Mussalmans, I think, I owe 
no apology for my appearance on this occa¬ 
sion to move the resolution that has been set 
down against my name in the programme of 
to-day. I think, however, I owe a word of 
apology to those of my brother delegates 
who come from parts and provinces other than 
Bengal. It is for them, I believe, I have to 
explain at length the various aspects of the 
present system of education imparted through 
the medium of that class of institutions which 
go by the name of the Primary and Vernacular 
schools in this country. For I feel confident 



( 2 ) 


that if my audience consisted entirely of 
Bengal Mussalmans, I should have had to 
simply read this resolution to commend it to 
their acceptance. For some time I have given 
the subject some attention, and were it not for 
that, I believe I could find no other justi¬ 
fication for speaking to a resolution like this. 
And if a bare and simple narration of facts— 
sad, stern and undeniable, apart from the 
embellishment of language—can command 
any attention, I trust I may not only be accord¬ 
ed the privilege of an indulgent hearing, but, 
let me hope, the encouragement too that I 
have succeeded in making out a case which 
might, not undeservedly, attract the earnest 
attention, not only of those who are deeply 
interested in the cause of Mahommedan edu¬ 
cation, but of the paternal Government, with¬ 
out whose countenance and encouragement 
no scheme of reform or improvement, born 
though it may be of the forces of self-help and 
self-exertion, can succeed, far less flourish. I 
assure you, gentlemen, I shall be as brief as the 
nature of my subject will permit my being. 

In order to appraise aright the present 
system of education I think we would be 


( 3 ) 


best helped if I described what it is. It is 
no occasion, I fear, to go back to the 
details as to how and when Persian was 
abolished as the Court language, how 
English was introduced, and how Bengalee 
came to receive such a degree of attention and 
encouragement, as to gradually become, to 
all intents and purposes, the Court language 
only second to English. Those are matters 
of history. 

To come to the system of education, 
there are four grades of schools by which 
education is imparted through the medium of 
the vernacular Bengalee; they are:—(i) 
Lower Primary, (2) Upper Primary, (3) Middle 
Vernacular and (4) Normal Standards or 
Training schools for teachers. The first three 
classes of schools are mostly met with in the 
interior of the country, whereas the Normal 
schools are all situated in the important 
districts and towns. Any one who has travelled 
in the interior of the Mofussil districts must 
have been, I believe, struck with the peculiar 
feature of the situation of the schools. They 
are, as a rule, situated in the purely Hindu 
villages or centres of Hindu population. 


( 4 ) 


Curiously enough, even in the eastern and nor¬ 
thern Bengal Districts, where Mahominedans 
form as large a community as about 75 per cent, 
of the total population, this localisation of 
schools among Hindus is conspicuously per¬ 
ceptible. The reason is not far to seek. Both 
the creation and location of schools and path- 
salas depend on the exertion of the Inspecting 
staff of the Education Department. From 
the earliest times of the constitution of the 
Education Department till even now, the men 
who solely and practically guided and con¬ 
trolled the educational interests of the people 
have been almost all Hindu ; and as such 
their manners, their customs and their religion 
do not allow them, when on tour, to pass a 
night or take a meal in the house of a 
Mussalman. For their personal comforts, 
if not for anything else, they consider it 
convenient to establish schools in Hindu 
localities. There they mix freely with 
their co-religionists and explain to them 
the blessings of education which the benign 
Government of the country has provided for 
its dumb millions. Thus the Mussalmans 
and their interests come to be thrown entirely 


( 5 ) 


into the background, I know of one Brahman 
Sub-Inspector of schools in my own district 
(Mymensing), who considers himself polluted 
if he thinks it to be in his official duties to 
visit a pathsala which is maintained and taught 
by Mussalmans. Such types of bigotry, to be 
fair, may not be universal. But they are, 
without doubt, numerous. The attention 
of the Government was, some time ago, 
drawn to the sad neglect or oversight in 
recruiting, from one class of people only, the 
officers with whom rest the introduction and 
spread of vernacular education in general, 
and primary education in particular, by the 
Moslem Chronicle and by that veteran educa¬ 
tionist, Dr. Martin, who spent 34 years 
of his life in touring in all the Mofussil dis¬ 
tricts of Bengal. Dr. Martin, on the eve 
of the close of his long career, discovered 
the mischief of the system, and approached the 
Government to remedy it. Thanks to 
the Government, it promptly replied by 
issuing some circulars which, I regret, have, 
like many other well-intentioned circulars 
affecting the interests of the Mussalmans, 
been honoured in the breach. Unhappily 


( 6 ) 


the Sutcliffes and the Martins are rare, and 
the governments which can sympathise with 
the difficulties and disadvantages of the 
Mahommedans in this matter are, save that 
of a Dufferin, a Campbell, a Sir Charles 
Elliott; and of His Honour Sir John 
Woodburn, rarer still. 

If the location of schools in Hindu centres 
gives great convenience and comfort to the 
Hindu Inspecting Pandits, Hindu Sub- 
Inspectors of schools and Hindu Deputy In¬ 
spectors—the appointment of Hindu teachers 
in the schools under them gives them greater 
convenience and greater comfort. 

It may be remembered that the Mahom¬ 
medans form about one-third of the total 
number of pupils attending these schools. 
Books on History and Literature, taught 
in them, contain subject-matter mostly 
drawn from Hindu Scripture, Hindu Mytho¬ 
logy and Hindu traditions. From the moment 
the Mussalman child in these schools lisps out 
his alphabet, from the moment he sets his 
foot on the threshold of a primary pathsala : 
from that moment his simple and impression¬ 
able mind begins to hear of nothing but of 


( 7 ) 


Ram and Lakshman, of Radha and Kissen. 
Small text-books meant to instruct him and to 
lay the foundation of his character, teem 
with the doings and dandlings of Hindu gods 
and goddesses, or the amours of their deities. 
As a Mussalman boy advances from class to 
class, from lower grades, of schools to those of 
higher grades, he cannot but, silently but 
surely, get ingrained into his impressive 
nature the association of ideas, customs and 
manners, which cling round the characters he 
has to read in his text-books. The polish 
he receives from school, the sentiments which 
he finds approved and admired, in fine all 
that he learns to appreciate through affec¬ 
tion and fellow-feeling; or in other words 
all those first impulses which form powerful 
factors in the formation of character, all are 
non-Moslem. He must read and recite 
Ramayan and Mahabharat before he can claim 
to have finished his education in Bengalee 
literature. He must drink deep of the works of 
Nobin Chandra and Bankim Chandra—authors 
who delight in systematically satirising and 
traducing the Mussalmans, by most atrocious 
misrepresentations and most libellous attacks 


( 8 ) 


on Mussalman characters—before he can ex¬ 
pect to pass out from his school. He must 
start with the new conventional and, unhappi¬ 
ly, popular idea of the religion of his Prophet 
(taught by these Bengalee text-books), that 
it was a creed which taught men three 
things :—touch not wine or pork, kill the 
infidels as a good act, and marry as many 
as four wives at a time, before he can be 
said to have learnt anything of his history. 
Thus, as a matter of course, he is uncon¬ 
sciously brought up with ideas against his 
own religion. He is required to store his 
memory with dogmas and doctrines dia¬ 
metrically opposed to the very spirit of Islam. 
He never gets an opportunity to read the 
lives of the great and good men of Islam, or 
hear of the virtuous deeds of its worthies and 
heroes. 

Not only is it impossible for him to have 
any accurate conception of the Prophet of 
that faith, far less of his life and teachings, but 
he scarcely knows who were the followers of 
Islam that carried the torch-light of civilization 
and illuminated the world when others in it 
were sunk in dark ignorance and superstition. 


( 9 ) 


Brought up, as he is, in an intellectual atmos¬ 
phere, which is more or less debasing and 
humiliating, like this, to him the early followers 
of Islam, their simple and patriarchal habits, 
their toleration, their love of justice, their 
philanthropy and their large-hearted generosi¬ 
ty, when narrated or told in after years, read 
like the myths of an unknown and unknow¬ 
able past. 

It is no wonder that this should be the 
case. The text-books on history which he is 
required to read are all compiled by Hindu 
authors. Stories and incidents palpably 
damaging to the chj acter of the Mussalman 
race and Mussalman rulers, invented by the 
non-Moslem authors and of apocryphal origin, 
adorn the pages of the books which are placed 
in their hands. 

The language of exaggeration and the 
art of ingenuity come in aid to paint the 
Mahommedan kings and emperors, generally 
as unmitigated tyrants, monsters of cruelty, 
or as debauchees, murderers, and oppressors 
of the Hindus, and as the very personification 
of imbecility and incapacity. The Mussalman 
boy, thus systematically taught to deride his 


( 10 ) 


ancestor, has, virtually, to submit to a process 
of national emasculation at the feet of his 
teachers, and in the midst of his Hindu 
class-fellows. Little then should we wonder 
that the very first thing he learns is to look 
down upon his ancestors. Nor, unfortunately, 
is that all. Even the holy Prophet of Islam 
is caricatured and satirised in these books. 
Mahommed is, generally, represented as hav¬ 
ing taught his followers, not only by precept, 
but by example too, to spread Islam at the 
point of the sword ! 

I would leave it to my hearers to judge : 
Is it at all proper, or is it at ail in consonance 
with the principles of sound education, that 
pupils who are yet in their teens, and who are 
not expected to have the power of discrimina¬ 
tion, should be compelled to read tales and 
accounts which, at best, are only euphemisms 
for the ugliest caricatures of the Prophet of 
Islam and of his teachings ? Is it, I ask again, 
consistent with any of the principles of 
education which have received the approba¬ 
tion of men in all ages and all climes, that 
the very first thing that a child is to 
be taught should be the debasement and 


( 11 ) 


degradation of his religious history and of 
his ancestry. If this is not national emascu¬ 
lation, I certainly do not know what else is. 

Gentlemen, should you not regret this lament¬ 
able state of things? Are we Mussalmans 
to allow our offspring to be thus misedu- 
cated and mistrained ? What is the in¬ 
junction of our holy religion and Prophet? 
Should our boys receive an education that 
banishes altogether from its code the ethi¬ 
cal teachings of the Prophet and the Imams 
of Islam, teachings on which alone can the 
character of a nation be founded and built ? 
Should we send our boys to schools only to 
learn of the vices and not of the virtues of 
our civilization and of our forefathers. 

The treatment which Moslem India has re¬ 
ceived at the hands of a class of Hindu writers 
and text-book makers is one about which the 
less said the better. To prop up a prejudice 
against Islam or its adherents, to justify a 
particular and new-fangled theory, they have 
had recourse to the pages of romance, which, 
to say the least, would hardly be mentioned, 
far less seriously cited, by any sober author of 
a history or a historical primer. The shading 


( 12 ) 


in historical portraiture is, I admit, an 
important element in history-writing. But the 
brush of the Hindu painter of Mussalman 
portrait has scarcely been known to dip for 
any paint other than black. It need hardly 
be said that a tendency like this not only de¬ 
serves to be denounced in unmeasured terms, 
but if unchecked is, doubtless, calculated to 
widen more and more the gulf between 
Hindus and Mussalmans. 

I have hinted elsewhere that the system of 
training received by Mahommedan youths is 
nothing short of a sanctioned process of 
national emasculation. I think I owe it to my 
audience to explain a little more clearly how 
this comes about. In the books taught, the 
Mussalman conquerors and rulers are generally 
painted as monsters of crime and cruelty, and 
curiously enough this is traced by the Hindu 
book-makers to the teachings of Islam. Is it, 
I ask, at all to be wondered at, that those 
Mahommedan youths who have constantly to 
read this pernicious literature, can rise with any 
feeling or with any sentiment of regard and 
respect, either for the religion of the Prophet or 
for the worthies of Islam, the true study of which 


( 13 ) 


alone can form the basis of a national character ? 
It is needless for me to dwell on the point as 
to how potent, how powerful an educator of 
character is the study of Biography. The 
garb, however, in which the character-painting 
of Moslem worthies is executed by these Text¬ 
book-writers, is anything but conducive to the 
formation of that wholesome national character. 

On the one hand, the young Mussalman 
youth becomes saturated with respect and 
reverence for everything of Hindu. On the 
other, though a born Mussalman, he not only 
grows in total ignorance of Islam, its past 
history, its civilisation and its elevating in¬ 
fluence, but he is brought up with associa¬ 
tions and environments of the class-room and 
the playground which, both consciously and 
unconsciously, teach him but one thing—the 
hatred for his ancestors and the hatred for his 
religion. 

Consider for a moment the effects of such a 
system of training on the young man who has 
to round ofl his education by his brief but 
impressive period of tutelage under these Hindu 
gurus. If I could take a general view of the 
statistics of the past 15 years or so, I would 


( 14 ) 


have no hesitation in stating that not only scores 
or hundreds, but thousands upon thousands of 
Mahommedan youths have had the hard lot to 
submit to a course of studies of so clearly 
debasing and denationalising character. The 
Mussalman youth, it need hardly be said, re¬ 
mains more of a Hindu in dress, customs, 
inclinations, prejudices and predilections, save, 
perhaps, the outward veneer of religion, which 
sits but loosely on him. I think I will be 
borne out in what I say by most of the Bengal 
delegates. My friends from the Punjab, the 
North-West Provinces and other parts of India 
will be surprised to learn that instances are not 
rare, where these ill educated Mahommedan 
youths, as a consequence of the system of perni¬ 
cious training, are known to have forsaken their 
religion, and to have adopted what is described 
as the eclectic faith of the modern Hindus, I 
mean Brahmoism. These occurrences are un¬ 
happily met with in the Districts of Rangpur, 
Jalpaiguri, Rajshahi, and Mymensingh ; or pre¬ 
cisely in places where the study of Persian or 
Urdu, by the force of circumstances, or as the in¬ 
direct result of a scheme of education which 
answers the requirements of the Hindu Com- 


( 15 ) 


munity exclusively, has altogether fallen into 
discount. It is not difficult to conceive how 
this evil grows up. The little or nominal reli¬ 
gious training which the Mahommedan parent 
can make it possible or convenient to give to his 
children, before they are sent to the pathsa/as y 
is utterly inadequate to the counteracting dena¬ 
tionalising process of the influence of th e pathsa- 
las and of long hours in the class-rooms. 

The Mahommedan youth, while in the school, 
living under the eye of his guru , receiving his 
youthful impressions from him, drawing his in¬ 
spiration of character and ethics from the text¬ 
books placed in his hands, commingling with his 
Hindu play-mates, talking over their books 
and their lessons, goaded on by his teachers 
to learn his own lessons well, has the natural 
ambition to keep pace with his Hindu compeers 
and to pass his examination. He has, actually, 
no time to receive any religious training what¬ 
ever. The natural spirit of emulation comes 
in and absorbs his time, his attention and his 
energy wholly and entirely in secular studies. 
The inevitable result is that the Mussalman 
boy has to unlearn what little, if ever anything, 
he learnt of the rudiments of his faith. 


( 16 ) 


If I had time enough I would have produced 
the books taught in th epatksa/as of Bengal, and 
quoted passages in support of what I have said 
with reference to them. I would, therefore, only 
give you a few extracts from some of the 
standard authors, with a view to let you have an 
insight into the extent and nature of the injurious 
literature which I condemn and which is wonder¬ 
fully enough consecrated by the name of Text¬ 
books for the youths of our community, the 
future hopes of our nation [vide appendix]. 

It is revolting to every principle of education, 
every idea of accuracy, every dictum of morality, 
to think that the extracts which I beg to 
quote before you can form a part of literature, 
which one could safely place in the hands 
of young children such as those who usually 
attend those pathsalas, I wish I could convey 
to you the full force of the language and 
the import of it, but as there are many gentle¬ 
men who hail from the up-country and who 
cannot understand Bengali, I think it useless 
to read the originals. I have, therefore, to 
content myself by invoking the feeble aid of the 
channel of translation to place before you, as 
best as I can, some idea of it. 


< ™ ) 


The ignorance displayed by the young 
Mahommedan who has passed out of his 
Vernacular schools, is simply appalling. If 
he is asked to recite the first principles of 
his faith in which he was born, the formali¬ 
ties of ablution, bathing, and of the burying 
of the dead, he is simply non-plussed. But if 
he is asked how many husbands had the poly- 
androus Draupadi, how many Aspasias the love- 
god Krisna dallied with, from where to" trace 
the geneology of Ram and Judhisthira, he will 
be ready with his answers as any Hindu stu¬ 
dent. But ask him who was Adam, who was 
Noah, who was Abraham or Moses, who was 
Jesus and who was Mahommed (peace be on 
him), he will stand in silent bewilderment. 
He does not know of their lives and teachings. 
He does not know who were Hazrat Abu 
Bakar, Hazrat Omar, Hazrat Osman and 
Hazrat Ali, and their achievements in the 
field of science, philosophy, literature and 
the arts of government. He is never 
given an opportunity to read the his¬ 
tory of the great kings of the Abbasid and 
Ommeyad dynasties that ruled the destinies 
of Mahommedan empires for seven centuries. 


( 18 ) 


The name of Tariq, the Conqueror of Spain, 
or of Khaled-bin Oleed, the Conqueror of 
Syria, the names of Averroes, Avicenna, 
Ghazali and others sound strange in his ears. 
If he knows anything of Sultan Mahmood of 
Ghazni and Shahab*ud-din Ghori, he has 
been taught to know them as robbers and 
cruel oppressors of the Hindus. This sort 
of education, which is annually imparted 
to about four lakhs of Mahommedan boys 
of Bengal, through the medium of such 
text-books, has so deplorably acted upon the 
national character that many a Mussalman 
parent has ceased to give Islamic names to 
his children. We know of some places where 
they do not feel ashamed to give their babies 
Hindu names. The Mussalman boy likes 
to give himself out as a Hindu rather than as 
a Mahommedan. 

The time has now come when we ought to 
stir ourselves to remedy these evils and ask the 
Government to reform the system of verna¬ 
cular education, which has undermined our 
religious beliefs, degraded our national ideals, 
and degenerated our national character. If one 
takes the trouble to look into the administration 


( 19 ) 


reports of the Education Department, he 
would find that about 4 lakhs of Mahom- 
medan boys attend annually Vernacular schools, 
and that Mahommedans now speak Bengali 
more correctly than before. Many Mahom- 
medan authors have distinguished themselves 
in the field of Bengali literature. A Mahom- 
medan newspaper in Bengali and several 
Magazines are now ably conducted by Mussal- 
man writers. Historical works and novels 
from the pen of Mahommedans are enriching 
the Bengali literature ; these works have occu¬ 
pied the same position as some of the best 
works of standard Hindu authors. We have 
now been able to grasp, though very late, the 
extent of our folly in not taking to reading 
English at the time when the Hindus 
commenced it. If we neglect now to take 
part in the improvement of Bengali literature, 
with subject-matter drawn from Mahommedan 
scriptures, traditions, history and literature, 
we shall repent. In fact repentance has already 
begun. It is hard to realise the baneful in¬ 
fluence exercised on the minds of the young 
Mussalman boys attending Vernacular schools, 
by the literature which, on the one hand, 


( 20 ) 


praises everything Hindu, and decries, on 
the other, everything Mussalman. Mussalman 
leaders of the past were busy in discussing the 
effects of English education on the Mussalmans. 
They altogether lost sight of the Vernacular 
education problem, which has, 1 believe, affect¬ 
ed a far greater number of our co-religionists 
than high English education. The time has, I 
fear, come when we cannot keep our eyes shut 
to the deplorable predicament which Vernacular 
education has landed us in. No longer should 
we stand aloof and remain idle spectators. 
We ought to grasp the question firmly, and 
work it out patiently. The solution of this 
part of the question lies in this, namely, either 
that an alternative course of Mahommedan 
authors should be presented for Mahommedan 
students or that, at least, a portion of the Text¬ 
books introduced should be prepared by Mahom¬ 
medan authors, the subject-matter of which, as 
has been said before, should be drawn from 
Mahommedan scriptures, history and literature. 
My object in suggesting that these Text-books 
should be prepared by Mussalman authors, is 
not that 1 have had any deep-rooted prejudice 
against all and any Hindu authors or writers,. 


( 21 ) 


but that there does not exist any Hindu 
writer, to my knowledge, who is well-acquainted 
with Mahommedan literature and history in 
their originals, or who has been able to approach 
Mahommedan subjects with a catholicity of 
spirit. True, that there are many sympathetic 
and impartial writers among the Hindus. 
But unfortunately they have not written upon 
Mahommedan subjects, for the reason that they 
are not acquainted with the Arabic and Persian 
languages. 

Those Hindu writers who have touched 
on Mahommedan subjects did it with a biased 
mind, and with what result has been already 
stated. Hence a Mahommedan who understands 
Mahommedan minds better, is better fitted to 
prepare Text-books suitable for Mahommedan 
boys. Now the question is: If Mahom¬ 
medan authors bring out Text-books for the use 
of schools, are they likely to be approved by the 
Text-book Committee and introduced into the 
schools ? Let us examine this question in 
the light of past experience. Bengali litera¬ 
ture owes its present development to the 
encouragement and patronage of the Gov¬ 
ernment. 1 know not of one standard Hindu 


( 22 ) 


author whose works have not been, in some 
shape or other, made Text-books and introduc¬ 
ed into the Vernacular schools. Thus Hindu 
authors have been rewarded readily enough 
with hard cash for their labours. There cannot 
exist a greater incentive than this. As the 
Mahommedans were late in the field of English 
education, so they are late in the field of 
Bengali literature too, and the consequence 
is equally deplorable. Like the public service, 
the preparation of Bengali Text-books is a 
monopoly of our Hindu brethren. As any 
attempt of a Mahommedan youth to enter the 
public service is always met with strong opposi¬ 
tion from those who are already there, so is the 
appearance of a Mahommedan writer by the 
Hindu writers already in the field. I know of 
some Mahommedan writers who produced works 
of equal excellence with those that are recognis¬ 
ed and read as Text-books in the Vernacular 
schools, but they were never made Text-books. 
Some of them persisted in their efforts without 
success, while others gave up the hope of ever 
being able to get their labour rewarded. I 
must admit that the works of Mahommedan 
authors are not numerous in comparison with 


( 23 ) 


those of Hindu authors. But the reason which 
I have given above accounts for their 
paucity. There are Mahommedan writers who 
can remove the want of Mahommedan literature 
if they only receive the same support and en¬ 
couragement from the Government as the 
Hindu authors have met with. The members 
of the Text-book Committee are almost all 
Hindu. There are one or two Mahom- 
medans, but they cannot have their voices 
heard. They have to yield to the voice of 
the majority. 

If the Government issued a circular that 
Mahommedan boys should be, to some extent, 
taught books prepared by Mahommedan authors 
cn Mahommedan subjects, if they are of equal 
excellence with those of the Hindu authors, I 
doubt not that in a short time there will be 
created an immense amount of literature fit for 
introduction in these Vernacular schools. I am 
deeply of opinion that here the demand will 
create the supply. 

Some time ago, a poetical work written by 
a well-known Bengali Mahommedan poet, 
Munshi Mozammil Haq, w ? as, by a happy 
chance, approved by the Text-book Committee, 


{ 24 ) 


and it found a place in its catalogue. Accord¬ 
ing to the present system the Divisional In¬ 
spector of Schools selects a number of books out 
of those approved by the Text-book Com¬ 
mittee, for the Lower, the Upper Primary and 
Middle Vernacular examinations. Secretaries 
and Managers of schools select books for other 
classes also, out of books approved by the 
Text-book Committee. Thus it will be seen 
that even if a Mahommedan author can pass 
through the first door of the Text-book Com¬ 
mittee, he cannot hope that his work will be 
finally introduced in the schools and pathsalas. 
Munshi Mozammil Haq passed through the 
initial stage, but could not succeed in the final. 
His book has never been made a Text-book 
for any examination, nor was it selected by 
the school authorities for other classes. As a 
rule European Inspectors leave the choice o< 
Text-books to their assistants who, from the 
time of the creation of the Education Depart¬ 
ment, have been almost always Hindu. Their 
judgment and their choice, oftener than not, are 
influenced by other considerations than justice. 
! know of a few more Mahommedan writers 
who made many attempts to get their books 


( 25 ) 


introduced, but they have invariably failed and 
have given up the attempt. After what 
happened to poor Mozammil Haq and to 
his friends, it is no wonder that none came 
forward to spend his time, energy and 
money in publishing books, which will have 
no circulation except among a few Mahom- 
medans, 

I am deeply convinced that if the same 
helping hand as is given to our Hindu brethren, 
is held out to Mahommedan writers, the want 
of Mahommedan literature and history for 
Mahommedan boys will soon be removed. A 
host of Mahommedan writers are ready with 
their pen, they only require the assurance that 
they will be remunerated. 

My proposal regarding the reforms of Text¬ 
books is not that the Mussalman boy should 
not read at all the books written by Hindus, 
but that writings that are objectionable or 
that are palpably insulting to Islam, writings 
which create a predilection for Hindu 
customs and habits, should not be placed 
in his hands. Hindu writings which are 
likely to engender in the young Mussal¬ 
man a feeling of hatred against his past 


( 26 ) 


history rhould be scrupulously expunged from 
the list of the Text-books. -As far as pos¬ 
sible writings that will create reverence for 
Islam and for its past history, be they from 
the pen of the Mahommedan or the Hindu, 
ought to be placed in the hands of Mahom¬ 
medan boys. 

In discussing this subject I have no desire 
to prejudice our Community, far less our boys, 
against our Hindu fellow-subjects. Sheer 
necessity has compelled me to point out the 
evil that arises from the writings of a large 
class of Hindu writers. My object is not to 
attack them, but to show the evils of the 
present system of selection of Text-books. 
The scheme of Vernacular education, now 
in force, gives the Hindus every help in 
preserving their own faith and nationality. 
But this is denied to the Mussalmans. 
We do not grudge them this advantage 
over us. We desire that the education should 
be such as may give us like advantages. And 
to this, no right-minded Hindu could, I am 
sure, assume an inimical attitude. 

Gentlemen, I have taken much of your time. 
My excuse is that the subject is very important 


( 27 ) 


and affects the most vital interests of our Com¬ 
munity. The importance of the second part of 
this resolution, where you have been asked to 
support the vernacular educational scheme of 
Mr, Pedler, has, i am glad to find, been gauged 
both by the Government and the Public. And 
the Government, it is gratifying to see, has 
taken the initiative in remedying the evils 
which are the outcome of an education of a 
purely literary character. Those who have 
travelled in the Mofussil villages of Bengal, 
must have observed that a large Mahommedan 
population is engaged in agriculture. If India is 
a country of agriculture, Bengal is pre-emi¬ 
nently so. The bulk of the agricultural popu¬ 
lation is Mahommedan ; they are altogether 
ignorant. They do not know how to use and 
husband what they earn with the sweat of the 
brow However solicitous the Government be 
to protect them from the clutches of the village 
Shylocks, the rack-renting Zemindars, and their 
equally rapacious Amlas or the corrupt Police : 
powerless they will remain so long as ignorance 
reigns over these poor dumb creatures. They 
must be taught first to help themselves, before 
outside help can be made to reach or benefit them. 


( 28 ) 


The well-known principle of Hazrat Omar : 
The stability and the material prosperity of a 
Government depends on the development of 
the agriculture of the country, is a trite but true 
law of political economy known and recognised 
in all countries, in all climes and y in all ages. 
To a meliorate the hard lot of the agriculturists, 
to teach them to protect their rights, and 
to make them better agriculturists, law-abiding 
and peaceful subjects of Her Gracious Majesty 
the Queen-Empress, ought to be the end and 
aim of every education, primary or vernacular, 
intended for the mass. Unhappily it is not 
popular among the class for whom it is intended. 
This is my personal belief, and I am confirmed 
by the unquestionable experience of some of 
the Inspecting officers of the Education 
Department. The present tendency is to 
unhinge the boy of the agriculturist or, in other 
words, to make him good for nothing. The 
young agriculturist boy who has finished 
his Primary Education, considers it incompatible 
with his dignity to take to the profession of 
his forefathers. He would rather die than 
till the land or graze the cattle of his father. 
He aspires to be a quill-driver or to serve in 


( 29 ) 


some other capacity, which he thinks more 
honourable than the ancestral profession. But 
with his smattering of a little Primary Educa¬ 
tion he cannot expect to have his ambition 
fulfilled. Though he cannot earn anything 
by dint of what he claims to be his education, 
he is always anxious to appear richly dressed. 
He seems to think, as it were, that one who 
has read a printed book must look fine. 

Once he sets his foot into the charmed 
precincts of the pathsala he turns up a totally 
different creature. After his acquaintance with 
the alphabet, even his peasant or professional 
appellation seems unbecoming his position as a 
student, and he does not hesitate to change it. 
If one takes the trouble to go through the 
pathsala records, it is found, not unfrequently, 
that a boy whose appellation in the register of 
the last class was mandal has, in the register of 
the next class, become sirkar —a term which is 
supposed to signify some literary attain¬ 
ments. 

All the benefit that the children derive from 
this literary education is that they acquire a 
taste for luxuries and extravagance and to 
sponge on the hard-earned gains of his sturdy, 


( 30 ) 


persevering parents. In fine he takes more 
readily to the vices of modern life than its 
virtues. 

The parents or the guardians of the boy are 
disappointed. Instead of being a help he be¬ 
comes a burden to them. To the guardian 
the loss and disappointment are extremely 
deplorable. At the time he ought to have been 
learning his profession with his father and 
thus helping him in his work, he is maintained 
at the village pathsala. The cost of his educa¬ 
tion, however small it may be, is a heavy 
charge on the poor purse of his parents ; for 
his parents find that after he passes out he 
is unfit either for his own profession or 
for any work in Zemindary service, or for any 
berth in the Government office. In fact his 
prospect becomes dark and gloomy. No de¬ 
cent means of livelihood is open to him. The 
struggle for his very existence leads him to 
adopt means opposed to every condition of right 
living. Those who have experience of Mofus- 
sil life must have painfully observed how he 
foments litigation among ignorant villagers, 
and how he earns his livelihood by misguiding 
and cheating them. 


( 31 ) 


Parents who have once sent a child to a 
pathsala would never repeat this folly again. 
They would dissuade their neighbours from 
sending their children to schools. They only 
tolerate the presence of a pathsala amongst 
them, because it is maintained by the Govern¬ 
ment* 

My object is not that the children of the 
tillers of the land should not receive primary 
and even liberal education, and aspire some 
day to rise in the scale of society. What I 
mean, however, is that the system of education 
should be so modified, that their children may 
always feel regard and respect for their heredi¬ 
tary avocations. Text-books should be so 
selected as may encourage them to improve the 
arts and agriculture of the country. They are to 
be taught to think that they can acquire wealth 
and social position by climbingthe ladder of pros- 
peritv through technical and agricultural arts, and 
commercial enterprise. The modifications which 
Mr. Pedler, the Director of Public Instruction, 
proposes to introduce in the system of Vernacu¬ 
lar education, will, I think, go a great way to re¬ 
move the present defect, if practical and not theo¬ 
retical instructions in agriculture and technical 


( 32 ) 


arts are given. I would have the gurus them¬ 
selves to go to the field and teach the pupils 
how to till the ground on modern scientific prin¬ 
ciples, how to prepare and spread manure, or 
how to make an earthen pot. There should be 
an experimental field or workshop attached to 
every school, so that the teacher may illustrate 
what he teaches. This will remove the mis¬ 
taken idea that agriculture is derogatory to the 
guru or his pupils. All the scientific and tech¬ 
nical subjects included in the reformed curri¬ 
culum of the patksalas should be thus practically 
taught. Then, and then alone, will the children 
of the agriculturist and artisan classes really be¬ 
nefit by the education they receive. A son of 
an agriculturist will then regard what he will 
learn of literary subjects as merely an accom¬ 
plishment worth acquiring even for a labourer, 
and not as a stepping-stone by which he may 
rise in social status. Then he will, after com¬ 
pleting his pathsala course of studies, return to 
the field or other spheres of business, and 
look upon manual labour as decent and 
honourable a means of earning his livelihood 
as quill-driving. I would have the different 
grades of Vernacular schools turned into 


( 33 ) 


different grades of agricultural and technical 
schools. The normal schools should train 
teachers for the Middle Vernacular as they 
do now; the Middle Vernaculars for the Lower 
and Upper Primary pathsala. This will, at 
the out-set, entail some expense, but it will 
do real, substantial and immense good to the 
country. If the landed-gentry and the rich 
merchants be appealed to they will, I dare 
say, most gladly come forward to supplement 
such a movement. It is to their interest to 
do so. 

One word more and I have done. The 
evils of the present system of education on 
which I have dwelt, can be summarised into two 
main divisions as affecting the Hindus in the 
one way, and the Mahommedans in the other. 

I have no claim, I think, to speak on the in¬ 
jurious effects or otherwise of the present 
system on the Hindus. Possibly, or probably^ 
the system does not command the unqualified 
approval of the Hindu community, and if it 
affects them injuriously the loss to them is but 
one way—the unsuitability of a purely useless, 
theoretical and literary education. With 
the Mahommedans, however, the case is 


( 34 ) 


quite different, and the injury to them is of two¬ 
fold aspect. One is clearly and plainly the de¬ 
terioration of moral and national stamina, 
through the medium of a class of Text-books 
thoroughly unsuited to the needs and require¬ 
ments and, as I have shown, utterly condemn- 
able. The other is the inevitable disruption 
and displacement of hereditary occupations and 
professions—with the total absence of that 
replacing and rehabilitating energy, which alone 
forms the set-off in the domestic economy of 
life—consequent on an utterly inappropriate 
and inadaptable system of training. 

Not only is the Mahommedan boy, so taught 
and brought up in these schools, ill-trained and 
incapable of taking to his hereditary guild or 
to the profession of his forefathers ; but, shut 
as are the doors and avenues of life by increas¬ 
ing demand of high literary qualities, and 
educational attainments, incompetent is he to 
put his shoulder to any work of remuneration or 
any work of life that will prove to him a 
source of sustenance, And this is the direct 
result of a system of education which equips 
him but poorly for the battle of life. 



APPENDIX A 


The following resolution was carried 
unanimously at the Thirteenth Session of 
of the Mahommadan Educational Confer¬ 
ence held at Calcutta on Saturday the 30th 
December 1899. 

Resolution No. 15 :— 

That having regard to the special needs 
of the Mussalmans of Bengal this Confer¬ 
ence is of opinion that the character of 
training imparted to the mass through 
the medium of Primary Schools and Pat- 
shalas and through many of the text¬ 
books introduced,, admits of considerable 
improvement and reformation and begs to 
support the scheme of Primary Education 
initiated by Mr. Pedler, the Director of 
Public Instruction, Bengal. 



appendix b. 

A specimen question illustrative of the 
fact that in the Vernacular Scholarship Exa¬ 
mination all students, including Musalmans 
and Hindus, are generally required to have 
a thorough acquaintance with Hindu mytho- 
logy, thus making it a matter of sheer neces¬ 
sity for the Musalman boys to study Hindu 
Mythology in the place of their own religious 
traditions and histories. 


f^gfefcri <Rl ^ 

1895 

QUESTION -Why Bishnupriya rama (woman 
loved by Bishnu i. e. y wife of Bishnu) lived at the 
bottom of the Sea ? 




( 3 ) 


fW 3 t ffa < 2*^5 I 

^1 I 

vi <!??¥ c^rat^ra 5j» e£il c\, «t5t*f«f 

^ .stcsrn vats *rh ^Tt _ <bk tit i 

HISTORY OF INDIA 

BY 

Kishto Chandra Roy. 


Page 17. 

According to the Mahommedan scripture, the 
Koran, it is not a sin but an act of piety to 
use force in the propogation of religion. 


?rfa#s ^rtw «r^h5 1 

s* <jii 1 

^R¥<ifw<F *pi*T5fR qui 

^#^1 sif# C^t<nt^ djf ms ¥RlH1 

1 






( 4 ) 

HISTORY OF INDIA 


BY 

Ramgati Nayaratna. 

Page 42 and 43. 

Muhammad giving out to the public to under¬ 
stand that he knew the past, present and future. 

Acting on the teaching of the Koran , that if 
one can convert by force the infidels to the faith 
of Islam,one can enjoy the pleasure of Paradise in 
life hereafter, the Mussalmans began to wage 
war in all quarters of the globe. 

(This Hindu savant , who has managed to get 
his book introduced as text-book on History, 
delights in making contemptuous remarks, and en¬ 
deavours to cast doubts on some of the attributes 
ascribed to the Prophet by traditions.) 


FS itTI C^ft | 





( 5 ) 

HISTORY OF INDIA 

BY 

Khirod Chandra Roy. 

Page 32. 

It is not immoral to propagate a religion by 
force. To die in fighting (to propagate) religion is 
to go to Paradise. 


We effts I 

1 

*fk\ 1 

^1% 'S fam wit 

cw*r m t2t5T?r 1 

H 

CTt<lM <4<Pl 

4t*rt Prtffi 1 

HISTORY OF INDIA 

BY 

Romesh Chandra Dutt. 

Page 77. 

On seeing his (Muhammad’s) extraordinary power 
on the battle field and his military success,the Arabs 





( 6 ) 


accepted his creed. Before his death he conquered 
the whole of Arabia and propagated his faith. He 
gave out to the people to understand that he wrote 
the Koran by command and advice of the heaven¬ 
ly messenger. This is the universal belief, even to 
day, throughout the Moslem world. 

*n i Ow 

C«Tt^ CW*\ ^fK 
^jC^g ^ <2fFfa *5ttW I 

The cardinal precept of propagating Islam by 
force which Muhammed taught them, was never for¬ 
gotten by the Arabs. The religious revolution 
brought about a new life as it were to the Arabs, 
and with daggers in hands they rushed beyond 
their country to propagate their creed. 


TOaWfTfa I 


«*r i * 

(sfasst'ft) 



( 7 ) 


RAJSINCHA 

BY 

Bankim Chandra Chatterji. 

Page 5. 

The old woman (who came to sell pictures) 
said, “Madam, this is a picture of the emperor Shah 
Johan.” 

“p JftR, ^ titf% c 5 ! fiifa 1 ^ 

'sit^Ta kf;<t «rri% i” 

The young lady said, “Begone, wretched hag, 
I know this beard. It is my grand father’s.” 

“c*i c<Th? *rto 

fwfi^T^? ^ a c$u ^rtfe 1” mu 

fc<? f%fei writ f?R 

<w$i fel ^ fail c*it 

Another said, “Hallo, why do you conceal the 
real truth by pretending it to be your grand¬ 
father’s ? That’s your lover’s beard.” Then turning 
to others the coquettish damsel said, “A scorpion 
was one day hiding itself among thcx.iT beard ; my 
friend killed it with the broom.” 

^*r 1 

Tfwn)^* 1 % f 5 c 2 T- 

nrc^ *rf 3 1 ~<ra ^ ®tc«p c^f^t 1” 


( 8 ) 


Page 13. 

The princess said, “I am placing this portrait 
of Alamgir on the ground, and each of you give 
a kick with your left leg. Let us see whose kick 
breaks its nose.” 

(Kicking with left leg is regarded among the 
Hindu women as the greatest insult). 

>8*r I 

Tbim feim c*tr»i 

T(% Tlf^l cm I W 

<®fWl C?f*I I 
Page 14. 

Chanchalkumari softly and slowly placed her 
left foot, decked with ornaments, on the portrait; 
it enhanced as it were the beauty of the portrait. 
Chanchalkumari trod upon it a little and there was 
a cracking noise, and thus the portrait of Alamgir 
smashed under the feet of Chanchalkumari. 
m I 

I £ift% Q\ f C 5 ? 

Page 17. 

Chanchal —That’s the black-guard’s beard. A 
greater was not born on earth ! 


( 9 ) 


Pm I I <repffa 

tot ^tPi to tj%to ? ^rrPt to ^1 ^ to 
^srts? to ^ toto i 

Nirmal —It gives me pleasure to make the 
scoundrel slave to my wishes. You might remember 
that I tamed a tiger. Some day or other I am sure 
to get Aurangzib under my thumb. 

I Iff mU C*f ? 

Chanchal —But he is a Mussalman ! 

Pm i top *rfwr i 

Nirmal —Even Aurangzib will turn a Hindu 
when he falls into my hand, 

ib ^1 I 

Pm r i 

Page 18. 

Nirmal —Rajput daughters take up broom to 
strike at the very mention of the name of 
Akbar. 

f%Pr to^m ^1) top Pto 

i to fto c\ *tfirew ^ to 
Ptoi fe*ra toto *rawi toto 

^toi o*\W $PP *fPi 

to i c*\t *m cto<^ to 


( 10 ) 

stf 5 ! CT 'StSl fafasil W«t^t 4^5 

^fk 5 ® 'IffimtH J)1 I 
Page 42. 

She (Zebun-Nessa, Aurangzib’s daughter) was a 
particular well-wisher of her father but she was as 
much addicted to the adoration of passions as she 
was endowed with all these accomplishments. 
For the gratification of her lust, numberless were 
the recipients of the mark of her favour. Among 
them there was one mentioned by European travel¬ 
lers, to write down whose name would be pollution 
to writing itself. 

The allusion, it is said, is towards Aurangzib. Could there be 
anything more obscene or outrageous than this ? 

Raoshanara, who was inimically disposed to¬ 
wards her father (Shah Jehan) and favourably 
inclined towards Aurangzeb, was proficient in state 
craft,and in the matter of the gratification of her 
lustful desires was.like Jahanara, void of propriety, 
void of restraints, and void of appeasement. 

80 «jfc| | 


( II ) 


f®fa Prcts fen i <fel Pfe 

m1 pffnntfe® fe w/g? *p*f 

fel 3)^1^ c^ttt® ntfen i PPft ®t^Pt 
^4^ ”?fe SPR 3jffe cSfffetPt^t 55st1 fettren I 
Pinter Pinl nw ^fen i pt% 
3lfe f%ft PtfJlftC't Pf® ^Pt® ®ltPrc^3f I 3pcT 

#r®fe c^t caVtnpil *JPtft sfra ^fSI ?fen i csn- 
<Sfei wtiW s <®fe , fei®W ; F »ttfen i 
Page 43. 

Aurangzib had three daughters. The two 
youngers were married to his two imprisoned 
nephews. The eldest Zebun-Nessa remained a 
celibate, as did her paternal aunts ; she also^like the 
bee of the spring, used to suckle honey from flower 
to flowep,(in other words the allegation is, she used 
to taste the sweets of companionship with any and 
every one). 

The aunt and the niece many a time happened 
to be rivals in love, and this led the niece to be 
bent upon the destruction of the aunt. She began 
to recount to her father the alluring and seductive 
powers of her aunt. The consequence was that 
Raoshanara was no more heard of. 

Zebun-Nessa obtained her rank and her favourites. 

88 <J§1 I 

sf C3^iP tfe ( 


( 12 ) 

WT ■’tCT't ; <4^ <2H3 «*ih ^nf^Mi «i*ra ^tsrW 
$W* ^tcf Ji^tw c^f&’S i 
Page 44. 

Two classes of people obtained entrance to her 
inner apartments—those who were recipients of 
her favour and those who carried intelligence to her. 

nt-TO®! Tfiml C^f^T- 

^ C^t«T I fffiral 

%UU w *rtPm 1 

Page 46. 

Entering the coloured palace^ Daria Bibi saw 
Mobarak going into the room where Zebun-Nessa 
enjoys herself. Daria concealed herself under the 
shade of a grove of trees and began to wait. 

8V «$1 1 

toij) 

^ 'SlWCP 1 
. Page 48. 

Of all these our attention is to be directed 
to Zebun-Nessa's abode of lust (Bacchanalian 
pleasures.) 

sa 1 

*Rtw f^rl ^ 

Ttor » 


( 13 ) 


Page 47. 

Mabarak went in and sat close by Zebun-Nessa 
and receiving betel and other marks of her favour 
gratified himself. 

Zebun-Nessa said, “He who comes unsought 
is the real lover.” 

“Jrt stfcps ^rtPrctfs 
* ?rl ‘srPt-ra? Gift'll «rft^ 1” 

Mobarak said, “I have come uninvited, and 
thereby committed a breach of ettiquette, but a 
beggar always comes uncalled. 

1 csWa f¥ f %^1 sfMtiw 1 

Z ebunnesa —What is your prayer, darling ? 

| <£it C\ <7R cmm<f Wfpi $ 

Mobarak —My prayer is that I may be legally 
entitled to that endearing term with the permission 
of a Molla (priest). 

c«r#fipri stPrai cnt ^«ti 1 

srtfW Prats ? 

Zebunnesa —Again. That old idea. Does ever 
a princess marry ? 

I csrfata ipfah ^ fNte 1 

Mobarak —Why, your younger sisters have 
married ? 


( 14 ) 


C®T\ I 'S’ftffl I *\V\te‘ 

stftoi »rtwrti fcs ^ *ri i ^tvitwtft && 

fV fate ^fas *fttfl ? 

Zebunnesa —They have married members of 
the Royal blood. King’s daughters never marry 
any one but princes. Can a king’s daughter marry 
a commandant of 200 ? 

*»8 l 

fe*TC I 

*t* *rtc*r wtsl-fT, 

^rsrCft^F ^ *ibsiri ute i ^ 

ferofanrst* ^fftt 

<Tti?*C5 ^Iwl 3Tta ffafflaf <«ltW 

qtffo I 

Page 64. 

The only reason for this was that Aurangzeb 
was the greatest scoundrel. Cunning, hypocritical, 
selfish, he did not hesitate to commit any sin and 
oppress other’s and his subjects. This hypocrite 
emperor pretended to be master of his passions. 
Like the bee-hive, full of humming noise of the 
bees, his seraglio always resounded with the revelry 
of numberless beauties. 

'*rfa fatten 

faith's «pmj 1 


( 15 ) 


■Ss'Ss r 'ih I 

'®ltC5, C 5 ! W sifilW CSt§ 

<»tf fwi ^t?«rtatw f^t? 'sftni 'st 5 t? c*tw- 
*tPTtiH ^ra i caf%3 <a^*R ^fsute^ ’srfpi w»fl 
fa®tni Tfiratfiprfa, “c^stsral <4 *r 5 ^ <?m ^ f 
w §^<1 ^fa*!,—“'site® *K<ra ent fV *rare fw^ ?” 

Besides, his innumerable wives, he had a 
numberless other hired women, who were not legally 
married to him. 

Page 66. 

There is a scandalous custom among the Urjyas 
that when the elder brother dies the younger 
marries his widow to console her grief. Once I 
asked an TJrya of this class as to how they allow 
themselves to do such a disgraceful act. He im¬ 
mediately replied “Do you mean that we should 
give away the woman, who was married to a mem¬ 
ber of our family, to the hands of an outsider ? 

cTfa ^ fast* i 

f%R ^ C\ 

tr#t5prlrfr f%R Prate Tfai i 

mu ^tr ^tR^t 

It appears that Aurengzeb the lord of Hin¬ 
dustan acted in this matter like an Orya. He 
quoted passages from the Koran to prove that 


( i6 ) 


according to the tenets of Islam, frhaiTs bound to 
marry the wife of his deceased elder brother, 
and therefore he asked two of the principal wives 
of Dara (his elder brother) to be partners of his life. 

I 

^ I 

Page 15^. 

He (Manik) thought that among two thousand 
Mogals there must be at least one Mohammad 
(prophet). 

1 

i 1 srfftr c?[ fwi 1 

Tt*T Wft 

TtC5 1 

Page 271. 

Nirmola —I know you are expert in the craft. 
I know how the Mussalmans defeated the Hindus 
in battle-field. They placed herdjof (sacred) cows 
in their front (which prevented the Hindus from 
attacking them). Had not this been the case, in 
comparison with the strength of the Rajputs, 
the Mussalmans would have been, as it were, a 
drop in the ocean. 

ft its -35«t *\V5 


( >7 ) 


wf 5^1 ^ ^ ft ? \c<r 

5lTfas1 5^1 5(t^ I 

Is it not a fact that the Rajput lady before 
ascending to Heaven gave seven strokes with 
shoes on the face of the emperor of Delhi ? I will 
likewise give you seven shoe beatings and go 
to heaven (kill myself.) 

\ 

*Pt* *ltC* ^tfV ^1 r cqW*r 

Tf*ritc^rl c*\t ’reWora c®rt* fo*H i $ttt\ wsf\ 

^«tl *tTfirc*r, wl f% 

^pi^r ^i, wi tv 

1 

Page 234. 

There is a class of people who are credited 
with the unclean practice that they would rather 
kill the dog (which has eaten from out of the cook¬ 
ing pots) than throw away the pots. The Mogul 
emperors belonged to this class. If they come to 
know of the illegetimate love-intrigues of their 
daughters or sisters, instead of taking them to task, 
they would make away with the recipients of their 
favour under some pretext or other, as soon as their 
whereabouts could be traced out. 


( i8 ) 


0 ?jkl I 

csr^firtl ntPfn, w s?t3tat5W sitfa 

c^s ' 5 Ttf^r srft 5 <XM$ srtPbsto ^i, fltoe srtPrefa ^ i” 

Page 373. 

Zebun-Nessa said aside, “Neither had I any belief 
in the existence of Hell or Heaven, nor had I any 
faith in God or in Islam.” 

<j&i i 

<irwt<nT i 

^ ^ifol fk\ 

tft ^ i 

Page 361. 

Zebun-nessa is now a prisoner in the hands of 
the daughter of the Bhunya of Rupnagar. She is 
as unclean in the house of a Hindu as a swine 
is in that of a Muhammadan. Her touch, like that 
of some insects, even pollutes the feet of the Hindu 
maid-servants. 

•«»’ 1 

T*‘&T r 1 r SwtsR *tt?wr?r<i ^'sims fa Jratw ? 
’tw 'siMt'ni *[« 'smwn 5|©iitC5 far.s fa 

^55 latest ca fniPrstn? 

hi 'sTO? f<t> f 


( *9 ) 


Page 390. 

Rajsingha said, “The Mogul emperors, one and 
all, were like thorns on this earth. Is Aurangzeb 
a worse man than Shah Jehan ? Have we suffered 
greater miseries from Aurangzebe than from 
Khasru ? What guarantee is there that Shah 
Alam will not be a more wicked man than his 
father or forefathers ?” 

«jifi 1 

wi 'q *rtH 

<itsrfi e N^<l 7J15 

^firc^rc I 
Page 402. 

After getting back his wife and daughters and 
some eatables, Aurenzeb fled from the presence of 
Rajsingha as a beaten dog would do with his tail 
pressed under teeth. 

As there are many other objectionable 
passages, even whole chapters in this book, 
we refrain from quoting any more. 

When Hindu writers makeup their minds 
to calumniate Musalmans, they unnecessarily 
and out of reason introduce the name of a 
Musalman to gratify their desires of traducing 
the Moslem. As an illustration of this fact 
may be mentioned the following incident 


( 20 ) 


related by B&nkim Babu in his novel called 
‘Krishna Kanta’s Will’ :— 

Mentioning a Musalman named Danish 
Khan, who was telling his beads, he says :— 
“Ostadji (music tutor) are you counting pigs ?” 
In one of his novels B&nkim Babu has 
created a character and feeling evident malice 
towards the Musalmans, ,has named it 
Ayesha—a name which was borne by one of 
the wives of our Prophet and which is highly 
revered by every one professing himself a 
Musalman. He has painted this lady as 
falling in love with a Hindu named Jagath 
Singha, thus to hurt the sensibilities and 
feelings of the Muhammadan public. The 
whole story drives at the getting up a fable 
to wound the feelings of the Muhammadans. 
It is astounding that extracts from this book 
have been prescribed for the Entrance Exa¬ 
mination in Bengal. 

“’TOS I 

'SFtW I 

M° I 



( 2i ; 


front's i 'zwaii w ^1 ^1^- 

^, ^1 ^tf¥ ^ sftpRl Wte 

^G 5 C^C I 

MANTRAYR SHADHAN 

BY 

H. C. Rakshit. 

Page 150. 

In this carnival or Nawroz day, (the Muham¬ 
madan New year’s Day), the overcrowding of hand¬ 
some females is notable. Purchasers and buyers 
are both females. The only handsome-looking 
male, the great Moghul Akbar, in this merry-making, 
is getting information about the wants of the 
government. 

*rN1 ®F?tvc*rte1 

c^\, ^rhr csll ^ j ^t*r arcs 
«nr $t<i *rc*fa sftfe sorfffa 

<shtw 1 

Paah! Doing nothing ! He is polluting his 
world-wide reputation with unwashable infamy. 
Gloating deeply and passionately on beauty, 
attempting to destroy female chastity, feeling his 
lustful figure excited up in this mart of beauty, 
a?uZhaving fixed upon a certain object, he (Akbar) was 
awaiting one’s ari ival. 

! os <^rtwrfrf«l ^fr ? 







( 22 ) 

*ift cit«l st% ? C9 CTtfMt erfem ? c*& ^i- 

3 ^t *BRR% ? 

Oh ! who is that all-fascinating beauty ? Who 
is that soothing and decorating lady ? Who is 
that bewitching idol ? Who is that indescribable 
object of love, that consort of another ? 

*rl PwtfWt ? 

Is she a Hindu or a Muhamadan ? Chaste or 
unchaste ? Image of virtue or personification of 
vices ? 

fsft ct! 'srtfsf Pifast ^ 

C*W T-~zV4 I 

Let her be anything ! By writing her tales of 
virtue, this humble writer would feel well-lived. 

^><£8 | 

^ ^ Pwts, o\ c*tt®1 

CWftsI ^ ^ I vft?5 

C?\t W ^ I 

Page 154. 

A little off, behind a screen, a lustful devil 
felt bewitched by the sight of her beauty. 
Accidentally, at that time too that heart-broken 
lady once viewed that concupiscent beast in a 


( 23 ) 


fear-striken mood. And seeing once that sinful 
figure her heart shook within. 

) faftWl TOOT 

Ftfel I 

^CTfTOT ^ * *#5 ^1 i 
Page 164. 

Seeing, as it were, with thousand eyes, the 
modest and chaste (Kiran) with fast-fixed eyes 
remained staring. Fire seemed to burst out from 
her eyes. Her tender body heaved and became 
hard. 

“c*\ 1% t— c^i c®t*rfa 

C^t 3 !*! ^ «TtfTOl 

f^f ? CTO^St* <TOR 

^1 4^4 ^1 t ” 

This time, again, that voice was approaching 
closer and closer! In an excited and quivering tone, 
it said again, “Oh ! Charming one, what is this ? 
Don’t say that!-—How can you say that the head 
which by resting on thy soft arms, enjoyed 
elysian bliss, should be smashed into pieces by a 
thunder stroke ! The gods never utter such cruel 
expressions. 


( 24 ) 

^T<[ 3 ® f® 

CWT5t?l 'sif^rt'K ^<R ^ ^1 !* 

In a firmer tone and in greater confidence, 
Kiran uttered this, in reply, “The curse of gods 
never remains unproductive” 

"*§fk <2ttc«ptff \” 

“Thou art the goddess of my heart” 

“*rrft csffl* ^ f 

“I am death to thy life.” 

^ <nt ^4, ipr tfltre fVffat, fV 

I ^Rf^C llttWisl 

(Tit ^tf*ral ffa i c*t 

*rtE*rtre ^ ^ottPfs ^ i 

Suddenly a strange voice, sounded a small flute, 
and showed some signs. Instantly some one 
contrivingly lit up a lamp from the upper part of 
the roof. The whole house was ablaze. 

i *m c^t*i 

^e\ ^ ^ 

<«raprci 

(Tit ^Wgni ^5®T*tT *St*l I ^[fS- 

c^t c*rct** sfV- 

C$$ *T5 c*tPt3tfc®R ? 

But the stranger understood it quiet differently. 


( 25 ) 


In his eyes it seemed as if in the light of the day, 
the lamp was burning dim. 

That passionate and unfortunate (king) was be¬ 
coming out of control of the senses, at the ap¬ 
pearance of the all-engrossing and peerless beauty 
of Kiran Moi y who saw this sinful shape (Akbar) 
from the other side of the curtain, on that cursed 
day of the Naoroz fair. 

m fwi 's i ! 

Ism f¥ 'sminj ? 

For a moment Kiran seemed stunned and 
confounded. Oh ! Ho ! Is this the inscrutable 
human character ? 

i fa 

*rtc<i ? 

Overcome by lustful desires, in silent and 
quivering voice, and with folded palms, he stood 
speechless and gave expression to his inward 
motives. But could he (the King) gather courage to 
accost this chaste and modest girl face to face ? 

fal*! I 

Like thunder-bolt, the girl Kiran, spoke out:— 
“Away ! Thou insect of hell.’ 5 

I *t'9 I 


( 26 ) 


^f%8 

^1. i ^tPi cwni i csffl* snpfa f»r<rfo 

^tfel ^ I <2fh ^U Wl ‘2ftC c l- 

tf<i i f*Ni ^ Pf^rwf «rh <jm, c^wfa! 

Jisfffe ^rr^f csW* ^c«i cafaf^ i” 

t£l^fr pR«l ^t<T3 ftfspS, «rfa« *5*1 ^f^l 

f¥ c^t ? ^n—” 

The voice brought back courage, the beast of lust, 
again, knelt down and in humbler tone uttered : 

“Beauty ! Don’t deprive me ! I am overpower¬ 
ed by your beauty ! The fire of thy beauty has 
heated up my external and internal parts. Life 
goes away, protect me, oh ! my beloved ! Quench 
the thirst of my heart by drops of love-water. O ! 
beloved, to-day the great emperor of the world is 
lying prostrate at thy feet and begging for love.” 

This time, Kiran, got puzzled and wondering, 
cried out, “Aye ! is it he, is he that ?” 

“ 4 $ f<F CStTO TOV- 

\st^ fafHr© ? c#rcft <£Tff% 

q\%ps \* 

"m !" 

O ! thou of fascinating eyes ! "Is it that 
the emperor of Delhi has fallen at thy feet, 
that makes thee dumb-struck ? O ! beloved, the 



( 27 ) 

nature of all human being is made of the same ele¬ 
ment !” 

“Fie ! fie !!” 

—“nft <rfa i yfk ? fffSW* ? *i3rtt> ? 

<«rhFTO ? C5t*rbf ?" 

KirSn, in complete bewilderment and thrusting 
her fingers in her ears, moved behind and uttered. 

“Fie, fie ! Thou ! The emperor ! The ruler of 
India ! Akbar ? Is this thy deed ?” 

“'srWstl ^ ^t«r! cm, irc^wc’t OTwfirs *nfir*R 

^r,—'«rtft c^ftn i” 

‘"‘Yes ! this is my work ! At the beauty of 
women, the gods are unsettled,—what of me !” 

^1 l 

'sTOltafl-CT^rl f¥ WV l” 

Page 166. 

“Is Naoroz meant for this ?” 

"*m l” 

“To speak the truth it is chiefly for this.” 

"w ffa cq qmre f 
“How long you have been sunk in this quag¬ 
mire of sin ? 

ffa,—■'srfTt'fw? 'srtf’f w ’Wt'st i 


( 28 ) 


cw%i 1* 

From a long time—I am always in favour of 
enjoying other s’women. In this bevy of beauty, I 
have found thee above all, the most beautiful and 
charming. And by tactics have brought thee hither. 

“I understand, this secluded house, perhaps, is 
meant for that.” 

m 'srtcf i" 

“Yes, my beauty ; for I fear also of public 
disgrace.” 

^ f 

“You are throwing dust over the eyes of the 
public, but how will you do so in the eyes of that 
all-seeing and omnipresent God ?” 

5T5T ^TV- 1 W fVg 'Srtfo srt, CW1 
*OT<1 ^t*i *itsi r 

“To tell you the truth,—-I don’t believe all that, 
simply to make the ignorant mass believe my faith, 
I keep up a nominal show of religious belief. 


( 29 ) 

“Your sins will bring the Moghul Power 
to the verge of ruin.” 

fmtft r 

“I shall make the Moghul suzerainty perma¬ 
nent.” 

“*tt% sfl \” 

“The work of a sinner can never sustain 
long.” 

'srtf’i >2rtK 

r 

“In the matter of matrimonial relations, I have 
made the Hindus and the Muhamadans all as one." 

“fwi ^«t1'srscsni ■$»& csWa 

^ !” 

“False ! You have not been able to create 
any respect of feeling for you in the minds of the 
Hindoos.” 

*£i i 

^ i— 

wst*re1 ^11 *rrftr *rf?r 

4 Ttetc** ^1 i— 

^ r 

Page 167. 

“Let it go ; that is a dry subject and a matter 
of politics. Beauty !. Now fulfill my most ardent 


( 30 ) 


craving. If I get thee, I can in my life think not of 
others. See ! My whole body is getting awfully ex¬ 
cited and heated.” 

“1%sN<i! 4 *it*t wl 

■sttfcsr Jit ss! , ®rWre ^rfJini Ttfti <tfrt^i1 

wts i ” 

“Ruler of Delhi ! Take care not to utter such 
expressions again !” 

“Send me back to my husband immediately.” 

^ <J&1 I 

cerfwft ^ ftfe ^nu 

^t*Rl *?i I 5Tl,— 

i—^1 ! c^M<r caFftqt'ftet 

i—Earfafa! ^ *ftfa 
?rl,-—'«rhrcts1 wl 

totI i fNfhfa ^rc*i tNt, 

#t<FT I Cst^t^f %»«! 

v£i vstf^sRt?? ^ts,—^ 

^TSfl *TtH #t<TC I <4 ^-<2^ 

Page 167. 

“My dearest love ! A lover does not listen to 
such principles. The Love that seeks none else con¬ 
siders its duty to appease one’s desires. Do’nt resent, 
O ! my darling. Oh ! what a charm, even what a 


( 3i ) 


matchless beauty, thy anger-painted face exhibits. 
O ! Moon-faced one ! I cannot suffer any more. I 
have become uncontrollable. I am gone out of 
myself, save me. The emperor of Delhi places at 
thy feet his Government, his crown, his throne, his 
honor, his life, say every thing that is his. Recieve 
this heated life under thy cooling arms. Allow me 
once more to drink deep of the charms of thy face 
and thus gratify to its fill the cravings of my 
life. No one will know of our secret love.” 

Spire spire WTO 

^ftre i caFTtfil- 

Trembling and tumbling the king of Delhi 
stretched out his arms and attempted to embrace 
that chaste object of love. Here the over-excited 
lioness began to roar. 

“\s w ! ift < «rnr ^ ^t s i 

tt<i ir *R*fP*R3 if f¥ ^3 ? 3R U 

Illiterate Jaban ! (A contemptuous term always 
used for a Muhamadan). One step more towards 
me, and you will lose your life. Think still of 
your rank, lordly position respect and honor ! 
Oh ! Art thou the DelLishero-ba-Jagodishsharoba 
(Either the Lord of Delhi or God of the Universe 
i.e.y both are equal) ? Fie ! fie ! 


( 32 ) 


^11 

^ ^ c*W, 
Wl *t$ ^1 ^pfiinl «itw TftffS *fffc^ ^1 I 
The passion-overcome Akbar said, u O ! Damsel 
of beauty ! Say what you can, you can not 
leave this place without fulfilling the desire of 
the emperor of Delhi. 

i 

^ft ft* 4fj*l wra wi ^firal 

ft*«l *<5rt*r** i" 

Akbar attempted again to embrace her. This 
time the girl in a fixed glance, and with grinding 
teeth said, “Akbar !” 

“^r ftroi ^1— 

^ CWt^fl f^tc^ *%<^5 I 

The wily emperor thought, “no inducement 
will not make her yeild. By threat, she ought to be 
won over.’ 1 

<2f^toar *f*I*T—*t1, *lt*t*! C^R, ^ ? 

*®fR tt^t* *\fk^ ft ?* 

Said, Loudly “Yes, again, art thou terrifying 
me ? Dost thou know to whom and in what 
manner art thou addresing ?” 

ti, mfa—■*tw*ttt** 


( 33 ) 


“Yes, I know—to the treacherous, immoral, 
that dog of passion, the emperor of Delhi, I am 
talking in the language quite befitting him.” 

“f¥ j capita 

j” 

“What ! Shall I order thy beheading ?—Do 
now yield to my proposal.” 

W CI J—^ 

“Oh ! Ignoramus ! Who says you are wise and 

politician ? Do you make Hindu ladies fear of 
death.” 

“But you cannot escape death at my hands.” 

I 

y&H I TtH Tf<J <4$ ^ fccW 1 

Page 169. 

That excited and animated Akbar reattempted 
to attack her. For once the ravaging of her 
ehastity is aimed at.” 

1 

\fl 'Qito trffos ftfnre 
^ stfesi *m «it* 


L.cfC. 


( 34 ) 

^44 CTO to, 

TOtTO to cTO ^TOTO *rfH ^ *il ,—to 

cto^- ^ *ri ^fro tfit ^ 4*ifa 
CTO ^<T ^ TO ^>fro j” 

Page 170. 

That lion-riding figure (Kiran) uttered in 
trembling voice :— 

“Say, putting hand over thy chest, and avow 
solemnly, that no more thou shalt look 
at the women of others with sinful eyes. No 
more thou shalt ravage women, either by force 
art or enticement. If thou dost that, then and 
then only I shall pardon thee, else, this sharp 
knife will drink the blood of thy heart.” 

toto cTOc*b ^fro-^z 4 *ri 

*rf^2rfro<i TOto stsl *tf^r 1 

Weeping and trembling, and calling out 
Ma ! Ma !!, he (Akbar) laid down at the feet of the 
chaste figure. 

Tm ^tc 4 1 tfe* 
sfiiTOf v *>t z toi nfasi jrotffa to 
£<jtos ^ 4 ] to ^rf?c 4 * * * * 

^fbitsf ^ ah c^-Vf^r, 

*jy I lit TOtt 



( 35 ) 


^ siPpI^t*R 

I 4 fwl «f^t l 

GTMt* f%<H, C^T^i ftffafc?* efatf*, <$t <2W *ct?i 
wfir® ^f<i^ii ffc*w i 's ^f^tPpw 
f&sfw* c*it ^'fafwft c*rft 

*pfai ^fc*R I 

Akbar was contemplating that by spoiling the 
chastiy of the wife of Prithive Raj, he would 
succeed in two motives : satisfaction of sensual 
lust and the attaching of a taint on the chaste 
Shishodio family. * * * * 

To profane the chastity of Frithive RfiJ's wife, 
was one, out of many, a great ideal of Akbar, and 
to have adopted so much means and contrivances 
for it, was a foolish attempt on his (Akbar) part. 
But whatever may be his objects, being now over¬ 
come by moral strength, Akbar was compelled to 
address that representation of chastity,as his mother. 
This was the first lesson he learnt in his life. That 
gold-like Kiran, in the life of the passion-blind 
emperor of Delhi, has infused the first ray of moral 
light The poets and historians, for ever, would 
cherish the memory of Her Majesty the Empress 
as the ornament of Aryan blood and apostrophize 
her as Devi (goddess). 



( 36 ) 


^tf*^ I 

C*R '2f c ft'® I 

* <J£i i * cTal1 

W.^<I *reTt&fa *HJ*K 
fWI W 

^^-?rN ^tCf ^FR, 

£fwt<i ot*R ^csrtoni ^Pr, 

3 tfa% 3 % $ 3*1 

BATTLE OF PLASSY 

BY 

Nabin Chandra Sen. 

Page 2. Para 2. 

For very fear lest their immaculate hearts 
should get profaned by the eyeing of the enormities 
and attrocities of the Javans* the stars, pensive, 
have hid themselves down in the clouds. The 
sobbings of the subjects in strange contrast with the 
revelries of the rulers have conspired to deafen the 
auditory nerves of the night. 


* This is a contemptuous epithet generally applied to Mussul¬ 
mans, who are recognised by the Hindus as infidels and immorals. 
In the Hindu Mythological dictionary, the word Jaban is alluded 
to a race of men born of the kine of Boshishthnr,in order to annihilate 
the forces of Bishwamitra. 




( 37 ) 


^ i « C*t *1 I 

tfasl TO** 

#terc«r *hN <pfkw csrhR; 

ftfro ^1! ^sf pprtftft, 

%t*i *br m*\ f%f%c^ ^ | 

%<r fafm ?h ^ ^5*hi«i; 

5]t^^<F Pm«t Tf**^ 

nt% <2ftT»ra, *i€t *pfte 

1% ^ih %*ttf, 

Prat*prtf*% f%i itf% wt*ra 
crfott ffatcs, s^t* Pm i 

Page 3. Para 5. 

The weary night, in sympathy with Banga , is 
sobbing in silence for fear of the Nawab. Sorrow¬ 
ing Bengal is weeping quietly, while the dew drops 
of her tears are wetting her robe. Hushed is the 
hum of the beettle, suspended is the breath of the 
breeze. The babies on the breast of their mother, 
the wedded pair on their bedstead, husband for his 
wife, wife for her chastity, all are engrossed in 
the thought of what might happen to them. The 


In the Bishto-Puran we find another comment on this word, which 
refers to an incident of the Raja Shagar having driven away a class of 
men, beyond India, with their heads shaven, to endure a penalty 
of capital punishment. This class has subsequently been deno¬ 
minated Jabans. 



( 38 ) 


comfort-giving deities of sleep have fled from 
Bengal, where have they gone alarmed by the 
heartless Nawab ? 

* I C*Bl1 ^ 8 | 

fa *14 CFC4^ ^fk<[ ? 

wfl ^zw, *tt*r 
^ZM^ fa ? 

fefas 443 

^ fa W1 4^4 qfal ? 

Page 8. Para 14. 

Those stars of Bengal which are^pure^bright, 
What thought-cloud has shaded all so soon? 
Like unto (pure) Shairindhri-like Bengal, for 

sinful purpose, 

Has (unprincipled) * Kichak-like Musalman 

shown insult (to Bengal) ? 
How should condign punishment be inflicted 

upon him ? 

Are the five brethren debating upon for that ? 


* The passage quoted above refers to the incident that Kichak, the 
brother-in-law of Birat-Raj, tried to violate the chastity of Droupadi, 
who adopted the name of Shairindhri during the period of exile of the 
Pandavas. Here the poet compares Bengal with Shairindhri and 
the Moslems with Kichach (the most immoral character in the whole 
Mahabharat). 




( 39 ) 


vs *$\ i * c*l<rt i 

cwr *rt% *if% *ro:*p, 

^ w£tf%«i ^tcni 

wff-»t^<i *rc, ^ 

£f^P^,—C*lt ^ $1 gstFft 

^firarcs ^tP^ii wra i 

Page 14. Pare 2. 

What shall I say more ? 

In disguise of a Begam the sinner having 

entered the seraglio, 

Upon the spot-less ( name of) my family 

whose refulgence, 

Like the mid-day sun, throughout all India, 

Is reflected—upon such a family 

the base-evil-doer 

Has spread the blackness of stigma. 

v** c*f<ri 1 

arc* ntn f*i*n c^r s frot* 

^#t &F 4pre *rtra 
c^w i ffa 

«itfVc4 ^1 ^ 

i 4<rc=ri 

3TC*I <2fft I 


( 40 ) 

5 T 5 = 4 ? 

^SC'SC? «tC4 StSffM 

C’PfCar Htf«TC4 44 4tf''(H #t44 I 

Page 17. Para 30. 

Gradually the stream of gratifying passions 
is spreading ; who can say whither this irresistible 
stream will flow ? After a few days more, the pearl 
of chastity will not remain in the treasure of 
Bengal. Oh ! the Bengalees will have to lose their 
family prestige and dignity ; for uncertain fear, even 
now, their lives are on their lips. From one end of 
Bengal to the other is rising one wailing. The 
subjects are thinking how to save their life and 
property. 

>s> c8 c*rai 1 

^ 4 *Tl srtfa 

PrI fwra 1 

fatten ^ wfa* 1 

Page 19. Para 34. 

Even now so full of venom ! What a poison¬ 
ous serpent would he be, when he (Seraj-ud-dowla) 
would attain the full reins ! Then, ah ! what count¬ 
less lives will perish by its venomous fangs ! 


( 4i ) 


O «J&1 I ^ C^I I 

^Res *ttc*f I fts^l 
<5mt<i i ^st^ *ro £t*r*fa 

%t*m i *totwf, 

^K^tT C*l PPTC ¥*r, 

4ftt^s fw<l 1^, W$ ^*Tfa 
^WS-^fa <it^T C^4*I I 
^tC 5 ^ $*IT«I 

^ht* 4W*iHM ^ vih i 
Page 21. Para 37. 

On the one hand the imprudent atrocious youth 
From birth has been brought up in sin. 

Hatred and pride, 

Are his ornaments ; on the other hand his 

companions and advisers 
Have become (all) those low-minded 

family-disgracers— 

Base-natured. Their evil advice, alas j 
Are bringing forth to the fate of Bengal 

such fruits dangerous ; 

(That) to describe them rends my heart; 

anywhere and every where 
Wailings of misery in the kingdom 

are audible. 


( 42 ) 


Tyranny dances, as it were, un< 


sword 
in hand ; 

Beautiful kingdom of Bengal has turned 

into a burning-place. 


Vr I 8* c*fal r 

^ 

srtfa f&si mm ; 

fhws c^r fcwb mVa 
^<1 wstfw ntnml •ffsra I 

Page 28. Para 49. 

With whatever black-colouring has been painted 

the Nabab, 

I know^ the picture far more is terrible; 
How-soever distorted the base-charactered one 
You do paint, much more sinful-souled is 

this reprobate. 


^ I 

mn ** 1 

^tPf *t1 erfwi nttft "Btfty 



( 43 ) 


Page 96. 

FIRST DREAM. 


Fascinated away by the greed of kingdom, 

O thou evil-charactered one, 
Untimely me, O evil one, thou didst put to 

death ! 

Tomorrow in battle its retribution thou 

shalt suffer, 

Shalt endure remorse like me. 

I 

Prater estate *rrPr PnfTT-^tP^ ; 

step cw*rt^ 

w&ttra & Iwl ; 

•^tRP' *h, t£*rra r” 


SECOND DRE/^M ♦ 

Siraj, I am thy uncle’s-wife, 

Having robbed my kingdom, and wealth, 

having exiled ( me.) 

Food-less thou didst kill this widow miserable. 
How to preserve your power—now meditate 

upon. 


SI <$1 I 

<Ftfa 05131 S51 t” 



( 44 ) 


P a ge gy. 

THIRD DREAM. 

Me thou didst put to death by drowning in water ; 
Will be drowned thy life-boat tomorrow 

in battle ! 


5 f ^ I 

faffa, 

cwfaftfa ^ ^ 

*ttf% ft <3tn I” 

FOURTH DREAM. 


I (am the ) full-pregnant fresh young woman, 
Behold, having ripped open my womb— 

Thou didst spy my progeny, Oh thou 

evil-minded. 

To-morrow in battle shalt thou receive its 

retribution. 

^ *rii i 

^ i 


"sitPl c<i 9C<1 c<r i 

Tfra ft faw ^ 

*ftc*r rets w 

fel Tfs *rrfs. *rrf*r, mm 

i” 


( 45 ) 


Page 97. 

FIFTH DREAM. 

I Husain Koolie, Oh ! thou evil-minded man ! 
Whom thou didst kill with thy own hand. 
Through my curse thy blood shall be shed, 

In the place where thou didst shed my blood. 
Sleep to-day, O thou sinner, for life, 

In eternal sleep (thou shalt) soon shut thy eyes 

I 

^ ^ I 

(Tit «r 1" 

Page 97. 

SIXTH DREAM. 

For satiating thy sinful-lust } in girlhood, 

By force me, O thou sinner, having 

embraced, 

Didst put an end to my life on 

marriage day ; 

By that sin shalt thou lose,—life, kingdom, 

and wealth. 

Me, in girl-hood, O thou sinner, by forces 

having hugged. 


< 46 ) 


i*4 <$) I ?»C^1t 

f«ii—irtl% wn sjsW wt? i 
$rtft 'srtft TO^ra *it<t mf$P5; 

®tfa sjtft c<t?^ Wit stilt? 

<st1% spk sfs^t? 'Wfcs s$j#T 5 i 

Page 135. Para 20. 

But in vain—no use of long speeches. 

I do know the Jabans have sins innumerable ; 

I do know with the shadow of atrocious primes 
Has every line in history been infamed. 


^f^5l I 

' 2 f %^9 I 

5 Ti ^tt^rsr, 
ct&rfer jm r 

KAY 1 TA PUSTAK 

BY 

Bankim Chandra Chattarjee. 

Comes, or -comes not the Arabian monkey, 
Comes, or comes not the Persian scoundrel. 

We*ill drive all away, as alsothe monkey of a Chore. 





( 47 ) 


^fTOi i 

*W cto to, cro, 

CTO *fftH KT, TO *TO 
TO ?TO STO j^F l" 

KAYITA SANGRAHA. 

BY 

Iswara Chandra Gupta. 

(They i. e. Mussulmans are like) all big beasts, 

goat-bearded. 

Ride on the necks of these shaven headed 
and, in full anger, lash them and beat 
them bone by bone. 

w *ff*TO foispl ^tWl CTO 1 , 

Cs'NI *5t1Tt TO, C^tt*f TO, 

C5TC*r fcc? TOi *TO i* 

(2) The up-country Jfz# Mullas (reproachful 

terms applied to Musalmans), 
with open kachas , (tucked garment), 
Saying taubatallah (turning from sin), falling 

victim to the anger, 

Will fly off before the cannon, and all will be 

burnt down. 




( 48 ) 


TOsft C5?1, 

^tt OTW3 ^ I” 

Utterly crooked-tempered, ass-like (foolish) in 
work, as all the shaven headed ones are; 
Low among humanity and so base, there is 
none as the shaven headed ones. 


As a general rule the Hindus in all their 
books or writings bestow the following 
obnoxious and filthy epithets to Muham¬ 
madans—‘ Jaban , Pishach (malignant de¬ 
mons), Mlechcha (polluted one), aush- 
parshya ( untouchable ), neray ( shaven 
headed), Chacha (it means literally uncle , but 
by a peculiar process of deterioration of 
sense amongst the Hindus, has come to be 
applied as an epithet of insult) &c. &c. 

The above quotations go far to furnish 
convincing proofs of the general tendency 
among Hindu writers to calumniate and 
jeer at every thing Muhammadan. More 
quotations are, therefore, deemed superfluous. 
It should, however, be borne in mind that 
there is still a vast quantity of such filthy 



( 49 ) 


matters in the productions of most Hindu 
writers which remain to be reproduced here. 
Since, however, the space at our disposal is 
limited and many of these works would require 
almost verbatim reproduction, we refrain 
from doing so. It is well, however, before 
I conclude, to state here that attempt has 
been made to translate the quotations as 
literally as possible, as such it is not unlikely 
that the spirit of the original, in some places, 
atleast, has not been—as it could not have 
been—maintained. It is to be hoped, therefore, 
that the reads* would make that allowance 
in the criticism of the literary part of 
the difficult task. 











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